Ampul of the multiple compartment type



June 8, 1937. Q SQNTAG 2,082,915

AMPUL OF THE MULTIPLE GOMPARTMENT TYPE Filed June 15, 1955 Fig.1 121%,.2

Patented June 8, 1937 PATENT OFFICE AMPUL OF THE MULTIELE COMPAB'I'MBNT Oskar Sontag, Hchte, Germany Application June 15,

1935, Serial No. 28,851

In Germany February 9, 1933 12 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in ampuls oi the multiple-compartment type made of glass and one compartmental section of which is drawn into a hollow stem which extends far into the other compartmental section. The invention more particularly relates to the special design of such ampuls and moreover to the advantageous disposition of both the therapeutic agent and the solvent liquid in such ampuls.

The United States Patent No. 1,727,987 has already disclosed a dual ampul in which the hollow stem of one of the sectional ampuls is fused to the opposite bottom of the other sectional ampul. This arrangement is however disadvantageous inasmuch as on account of the rigid connection between the two sectional ampuls at two different points stresses will develop in the one section of the sectionalized ampul extends only approximately to the bottom of this section of the ampul but does not touch the same. Preferably the said hollow stem is arranged in a slanting direction in order that the ampul is filled more readily. It is further of particular advantage that according to the invention the solid drug is held in the stem ampul under a vacuum while the other sectional ampul contains the solvent.

When a dual ampul so filled is opened and the connection is established between the solid drug and the solvent by the point of the hollow stem being broken oil, the solvent will under the infiuence oi the vacuum flow upwards through the hollow stem into the stem ampul. The drug and the solvent are thus intimately mixed. This is of great practical importance since the therapeutic agents used in such dual ampuls are as a. rule hygroscopic or provided with stabilizing additions such as collodion or gelatin. When therapeutic agents of this description are not intimately mixed with a substantial amount of the solvent, there is a risk that external crusts liable to prevent the drugs from readily dissolving will be formed.

Moreover, due to the'fact that the liquid is sucked upwards through the capillary stem it follows'that the glass fragments or splinters resulting when breaking ofi the stem do not get into the stem ampul used as the mixing ampul but remain in the other sectional ampul. The mixture of liquid and solid drug present in the stem ampul after the liquid has been sucked upwards can be strongly shaken up without impairing the sterility oi the solution, due to the small stem 5 opening which is closed by a droplet formed by the liquid. Only after having detached the capillary stem, an opening results which is of sumcient size to permit the introduction of the syringe for tapping the liquid. When one strongly 10 shakes the mixing ampuls 01 known type that are open above, the sterile condition of he solution is endangered.

Furthermore, in consequence of the new arrangement of solvent, and solid drug in the two 15 partial ampuls, it is easily possible to sterilize the ampul after having fused the solvent into the other sectional ampul and then to seal up the second ampul after having filled in the solid substance and having produced the vacuum. In 20 this manner, the sterile condition of the ampul, is much better warranted. The known double ampuls, on the contrary, in which the liquid is in the stem ampul and the solid drug in the other sectional ampul cannot be sterilized after havi 25 sealed the liquid in the sectional ampul, as it is not possible, with these known ampuls, to fill the liquid first into the corresponding sectional ampul. This is because in this case when melting the second sectional ampul in fusing the 30 stem, the liquid in the stem ampul would be heated so much that this sectional ampul would be cracked. Therefore the solid drug has to be sealed in first and the liquid thereafter. This is detrimental because the ampuls so filled-can 35 not be sterilized after the sealing in of the liquid due to the fact that the solid medicaments which are in question decompose very readily.

The accompanying drawing shows two embodiments of this invention and represents in-- Fig. 1 a section through an ampul not yet opened,

Fig. 2 the same ampul in the opened condition,

Fig. 3 the same opened ampul but after the point of the hollow stem having been broken oil 45 and the solvent sucked into the stem ampul,

Fig. 4 the same stem ampul after .the stem proper has been broken off, and

Fig. 5 another design of the ampul which can however also be used in the novel manner re- 60 ferred to.

In the ampul shown by Figs. 1 to 4 the upper sectional ampul l formed as a stem ampul is integrally fused to the lower sectional ampul 2. The hollow stem 3 extends almost as far as the bottom of the sectional ampul 2 but without touching the said bottom. Preferably the stem is disposed in a slanting direction relatively to the second sectional ampul in order that the lat- 5 ter can be filled more readily. When the dual ampul is to be opened, the connection is broken as at 4. The upper sectional ampul with its stem can now be slightly lifted (see Fig. 2). When the point 5 of the hollow stem is pressed against the wall of the sectional ampul 2, the said point is broken off so that under the influence of the vacuum prevailing in the stem ampul l the solvent contained in the lower sectional ampul 2 is sucked upwards through the hollow stem 3. The glass fragments will then drop into and remain within the lower extension 6 of the sectional ampul 2 (see Fig. 3). vent has been sucked upwards through the hollow stem, the stem ampul serving as the mixing 0 or dissolving ampul is inverted and after the therapeutic agent has been dissolved the hollow stem 3 proper is broken off at 1 in the manner known per se.

The dual ampul shown by Fig. 5, as to its external shape substantially corresponds to the ampul disclosed by the United States Patent No. 1,727,987. The arrangement of the therapeutic agents in the novel ampul however differs from that provided for in the said patent, inasmuch as the solid drug is housed under a vacuum in the stem ampul I while the solvent is contained in the other sectional ampul 2. When the ampul is opened at 4 and the hollow stem broken off at the same time at 5, also in the present instance the solvent will .under the influence of the vacuum flow through the hollow stem 3 into the stem ampul l. The glass fragments will however remain in the sectional ampul 2 on account on their high specific gravity. What is claimed as new and useful, is: v

1. A dual ampul comprising two sections united end to end by a weakened breakable neck portion, a tubular stem hollow throughout its length andsecured to one of said sections to one side of said breakable portion and extending into the other ampul section to a place adjacent the end thereof, the extreme end of said stem being closed and provided with a breakable tip, a soluble substance in that ampul section which has the stem attached, a solvent in that section of the ampul that is to be broken oil from the other section, that section of the ampul that has the stem attached having its contents under a negative' or below-atmosphere pressure, in virtue of all of which, when said ampuls are separated at the breakable neck portion to open-that section containing the solvent and when the immersed breakable tip of the stem is broken off, the solvent will be sucked up through the. stem into that section ofthe ampul to which the stem is attached. a

2. A dual ampul comprising two sections united end to end by a weakened breakable neck portion, a tubular stern hollow throughoutits length and secured to one of said sections to one side of said breakable portion and extending into the other ampul section to a place adjacent the end thereof, the extreme end of said stem being closed and 70 provided with a breakable tip, a soluble substance in that ampul section which has the stem at- ;tached, a solvent in that section of the ampul that is to be broken off from the other section, that section of the ampul that has the stem at- 75 tached having its contents under a negative or As soon as the sol-' below-atmosphere pressure, in virtue of all of which, when said ampuls are separated at the breakable portion to open that section containing the solvent and when the immersed breakable top of the stem is broken off, the solvent will be sucked up through the stem into that section of the ampul to which the stem is attached, said hollow stem having its breakable tip fused to the wall of that section of the ampul into which said stem projects.

3. A dual ampul comprising two sections closed at their outer ends and having their adjacent ends united by a weakened breakable neck portion at which the sections may be separated, a tubular stem hollow throughout its length and secured at one of its ends to one ampul section beyond the breakable area, said stem communieating with the interior of the ampul to which it is secured, said stem projecting into the other ampul section to adjacent the outer end of the same, the projecting end of the stem being closed by a breakable tip, a soluble substance in the stem and ampul section to which it is secured, and a solvent contained in the other ampul section.

4. A dual ampul comprising two sections closed at their outer ends and having their adjacent ends united by a weakened breakable neck portion at which the sections may be separated, a tubular stem hollow throughout its length and secured at one of its ends to one ampul section beyond the breakable area, said stem communieating with the interior of the ampul to which it is secured, said stem projecting into the other ampul section to adjacent the outer end of the same, the projecting end of the stem being closed by a breakable tip, a soluble substance in the stem and ampul section to which it is secured, and a solvent contained in the other ampul section, said stem having its breakable tip attached to the ampul section into which it projects.

5. A dual ampul comprising two sections closed at their outer ends and having their adjacent ends united by a weakened breakable neck portion at which the sections may be separated, a tubular stem hollow throughout its length and secured at one of its ends to one ampul section beyond the breakable area, said stem communicating with the interior of the ampul to which it is se cured, said stem projecting into the other ampul section to adjacent the outer end of the same, the projecting end of the stem being closed by a breakable tip, a soluble substance in the stem and ampul section to which it is secured, and a solvent contained in the other ampul section, the ampul section into which the stem projects having a pocket extension beyond the tip of said stem to receive the broken-off tip.

6. A dual ampul in which the end of one of the sectional ampuls is drawn into a stem hollow throughout its length and extending far into the other sectional ampul, characterized by the fact that the said tubular stem extends deeply into the second sectional ampul and that a vacuum prevails within the sectional ampul that is provided with the hollow stem and contains the solid drug, 'in virtue of all of which when the ampuls are separated and the tip of the tubular stem is broken, while said tip is in the liquid in the ampul into which the hollow stem is extended, the liquid will be drawn up through the tubular stem into the ampul to which the stem is attached and which contains the solid drug.

7. A dual ampul in which the end of one of the sectional ampuls is drawn into a stem hollow throughout its length and extending far into the other sectional ampul and having a tip adapted to be broken, characterized by the fact that the said hollow stem extends deeply into the second sectional ampul and that a vacuum prevails within the sectional ampul that is provided with the hollow stem and contains the solid drug, the end of said hollow stem being fused to said second sectional ampul.

8. A dual ampul comprising two sections united by a neck having a weakened portion at which the neck is designed to be broken. one of said ampul sections having an elongated tubular stem extending into the other ampul section to a place adjacent that end of said other section which is remote from the neck, said stem having its end drawn to a point and sealed, said point being constructed to be broken to leave a capillary opening in the remote end of the stem, a solid drug under negative air pressure located in that section of the ampul which has the stem, and a liquid solvent in said other section, in virtue of all of which when the ampul sections are broken apart at said neck, with the section having the solid drug held uppermost, the liquid will be sucked up through said stem into the ampul section having the solid drug to dissolve said drug.

9. Double ampulla for the separate retention of two materials, for example a solid drug and a solvent, which must be mixed with each other directly before use, consisting of two sectional ampullas united end to end by a portion designed to be broken to separate the ampullas, one of which has a spear-like elongation hollow throughout its length and provided with an easily breakable tip through which the contents of the second sectional ampulla, after the sections are opened, is emptied into the first sectional ampulla, said spear like elongation extending into the second sectional ampul to a place adjacent the bottom thereof, characterized in this, that the solid drug is deposited during maintenance of a vacuum in the spear-ampulla, and the solvent is deposited in the other sectional ampulla.

10. Double ampulla for the separate retention of two materials, for example a solid drug and a solvent, which must be mixed with each other directly before use, consisting of two sectional ampullas united end to end by a portion designed to be broken to separate the ampullas, one of which has a spear-like elongation hollow throughout its length and provided with an easily breakable tip through which the contents of the second sectional ampulla,. after the sections are opened, is emptied into the first sectional ampulla, characterized in this, that the solid drug is deposited during maintenance of a vacuum in the spear-ampulla, and the solvent is deposited in the other sectional ampulla, the spear of the first sectional ampulla extending nearly to the bottom of the second sectional ampulla without touching the same.

11. Double ampulla for the separate retention of two materials, for example a solid drug and a solvent, which must be mixed with each other directly before use, consisting of two sectional ampullas united end to end by a portion designed to be broken to separate the ampullas, one of which has a spear-like elongation hollow through.- out its length and provided with an easily breakable tip through which the contents of the second sectional ampulla, after the sections are.

opened, is emptied into the first sectional ampulla, characterized in this, that the solid drug isideposited during maintenance of a vacuum in the spear-ampulla, and the solvent is deposited in the other sectional ampulla, the spear of the first sectional ampulla extending nearly to the bottom of the second sectional ampulla without touching the same and being bent slantingly to facilitate the filling of the ampulla.

12. Double ampulla, according to claim 9, characterized in this, that the elongated end of the spear of the spear-ampulla extends to the bottom of the other sectional ampulla and is fused with the same in such manner that the ampullas breaks ofi at the fusion point.

OSKAR SONTAG, 

